This month’s reading took me from a nearly forgotten Black community in the North Carolina mountains to wartime Genoa, the tunnels beneath Paris, and even the icy shores of Antarctica. Three books earned a full five stars, several historical novels sent me searching for more of the story, and a handful of mysteries reminded me that a clever premise does not always guarantee a satisfying payoff. Here are all sixteen books, beginning with the ones I loved most. Five-Star Favorites Happy Land By Dolen Perkins-Valdez ★★★★★ A Hidden History That Refuses to Stay Buried Blending past and present, Happy Land explores family, identity, and the nearly forgotten Kingdom of the […]
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All the Pieces…But No Puzzle: A Review of The Night We Lost Him
⭐⭐⭐ I went into The Night We Lost Him by Laura Dave hoping for a smart, twisty family mystery. Instead, I got a story that looks polished on the surface but never quite pulls you in—and one that’s easy to forget once it’s over. The premise has bite. Nora Noone’s father—hotel magnate, serial husband, and all-around mystery—dies after a fall from his cliffside home. The authorities call it an accident, but Nora and her estranged brother Sam aren’t convinced. They team up to dig into his past and figure out what really happened. The problem is that the stakes feel low. There’s no real danger or urgency—just a steady search for answers […]
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Welcome to Amy’s Picks and Pans – Issue 41
This issue took me everywhere—from wartime Europe and windswept prairies to glamorous hotels, dangerous spy missions, cozy magical libraries, and pulse-pounding thrillers. I found stories filled with courage, second chances, heartbreak, suspense, romance, and a few books that made me mutter, “Well… that escalated quickly.” There were several standouts this time around, including Mark Helprin’s sweeping naval epic The Oceans and the Stars, Holly Jackson’s wildly entertaining adult thriller debut Not Quite Dead Yet, and Mitch Albom’s warmhearted Twice. I also revisited a literary classic with Willa Cather’s O Pioneers! and discovered a few authors I’ll definitely be reading again. As always, not every book earned glowing praise. A couple left me scratching my […]
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January 2022 Book Reviews
What a great month of reading! I gobbled up thrillers and suspense, historical fiction, a children’s book, and Christian fiction. I laughed, I cried, I was inspired, and I learned. Who could ask for more? Here are my reviews from my favorite to my least favorite. Whose Waves These Are By Amanda Dykes “He would never forget the impression of that voice on his heart. It was the voice of the man, who, king of the universe, stooped to wash his own disciples’ earth crusted feet. Who rubbed spit into dirt and used the mud to make a blind man see. Whose royal day of birth was enrobed in […]
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The Last Thing He Told Me – Book Review
Owen Michaels, a coder for a prominent tech company, vanishes just before his boss is arrested for corruption. He leaves two things behind: A duffle bag full of cash for his 16-year-old daughter, Bailey, and a cryptic note to Hannah, his beloved wife of one year: Protect her. Hannah quickly realizes her husband isn’t who he said he was. Despite their complicated relationship, Hannah and Bailey set out to discover the truth and find some surprises along the way. The author deftly handled Hannah’s dual timelines, which alternate between Hannah’s early days with Owen and her current hunt for him. I loved some parts of the book, but others made me […]
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